Covid19 Cookie-Baking

The kids and I have been baking cookies every weekend. Here are some of our favorite recipes. Yum!

Peanut Butter Cookies
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
Cream shortening, butter, and sugars. Add egg, peanut butter, and vanilla. Then add flour. Roll dough into balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork dipped in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Makes 3 dozen.

Chocolate-Chip Cookies
2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 oz milk chocolate chips
Cream butter, sugars, vanilla. Add eggs. Then mix in flour, soda, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 4-5 dozen.

Granny Annie's Icebox Cookies
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and almond. Then mix in flour. Put dough on wax paper and form into a roll. Refrigerate over night. Slice dough and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Dinner, Lunch, Breakfast Recipes

A few favorite recipes lately:

easy dinner: Skillet Enchiladas Suizas

easy lunch: fruity chicken salad
I throw in some craisins, too.

weekend breakfast: blueberry and marscarpone stuffed French toast casserole

Spring Salad

Here's another restaurant recipe I was trying to copy. I think I did a pretty good job--and the homemade dressing is especially yummy!

Toss together:
Romaine
Spinach
Arugula
Thinly sliced radishes
Sugar snap peas
Thinly sliced strawberries
Feta cheese
Blanched asparagus (I left these off the second time and didn't miss it)
White balsamic dressing
Candied slivered almonds

A Pasta Recipe, Or How I Accidentally Discovered the Best Tomato Soup Ever

I was trying to copy a recipe from a favorite restaurant last week, and needed a tomato cream sauce. I tried this one and it worked well with the pan-seared chicken I was preparing. For lunch the next day, I tossed the leftover sauce into our smoothie maker to turn it into soup. It was the best tomato soup I've ever had. So make this sauce, blend it up, and enjoy with some fresh crusty bread!

Two More Yummy and Super-Easy Recipes

Here are two more recent favorites. And they use your slow-cooker, are super-easy, and freeze well. Three hurrahs!

Honey Garlic Chicken

Mongolian Beef

Two New Recipes

Just a couple of new favorite recipes. Several of the ones we've tried recently were fine, but no where near good enough to make the move to my recipe box. These two, however, were outstanding. And a great way to eat more veggies.

21 Day Fix Instant Pot Beef Stew This is the best beef stew I've ever made. And so easy. The only change I made was to swap the tomato juice for red wine.

Warm Asparagus, Radish, and New Potato Salad with Herb Dressing This recipe got my kids eating asparagus and radishes without complaint.

Favorite Recipes Lately

Here are some recipes we've tried and enjoyed lately--these all made it into my recipe box and the permanent rotation!

Healthy and Delicious Banana Bread

Chocolate-Cherry Granola Bars

Tomato Focaccia Bread This was SO GOOD!!!

Oatmeal Bread Also extremely yummy!

Burrito Bowls It's not like you really need a recipe for these, but I can never remember what all to put in them so I use it as an ingredient list.

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Soup

Caramel-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies Delicious. Not particularly nutritious. ;)

Recipe Time

A couple of these are more fall/winter recipes, but I am just now getting around to sharing them. Enjoy them in whichever season you choose!

Pork Chops with Maple Apples from Better Homes and Gardens

Coffee-Braised Pot Roast also from BHG

Southwest Pork Stew from Southern Living

Madeleines from Martha Stewart Living

And our new favorite and pretty easy breakfast, lunch, or dinner recipe that also reheats beautifully: Golden Potato and Smoked Sausage Hash from Southern Living

You're welcome. :)

One More Recipe

My sister-in-law made this recipe for us a few weeks ago; it was so good! And this is a healthy one, so enjoy. :)

http://www.easybreezylife.com/2013/08/healthy-easy-and-delicious-roasted.html?m=1

Recipes Galore

I've been on a try-out-new-recipes kick these past few weeks! I've also been experimenting with sourdough bread and homemade pie crust. Here are recipes we have particularly enjoyed if you want to give them a try. Most are from Better Homes and Gardens or Southern Living.

Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

Bruschetta Biscuits with Feta

Southern Italian Chicken Soup

Classic White Bread This provides a variation from my usual sandwich bread. I use half whole wheat flour and half white.

Tomato Cheddar Bacon Pie A little bit of an effort to make, but so incredibly delicious. Not exactly health food, this is reserved for weekends or when the Gent's garden has a surplus of divine tomatoes.

Summer Spaghetti Salad

Taking sandwiches up a notch: Smoky Chicken Panini with Basil Mayo

Ham and Cheese Brunch Casserole

Another good brunch choice: Cheese and Sausage Quiche

Lemon Raspberry Coffeecake. Cake for (Saturday) breakfast? My kids were a huge fan.

And my new favorite way to eat chocolate (as if I needed another): Molten Chocolate-Espresso Cakes Eating one of these with a little whipped cream...words are not adequate.

Happy cooking, baking, and eating!

The best cookies + bread tips

Today's recipe post inspired by Bebe. :) She introduced me to these chocolate chip cookies and they are truly scrumptious.

2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 oz milk chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs. Then add flour, soda, and salt. Mix in chocolate chips. Spoon cookies on ungreased tray. Bake at 375 for about 8-10 minutes. Makes four dozen.

Note: don't use self-rising flour. The cookies will rise too much. Stick with the plain flour, soda, and salt combo.


An a couple of Bebe-discovered updates to my basic sandwich bread recipe (you can find that link here). Put the water, yeast, and sugar into the mixing bowl and let sit for 10 minutes before stirring and continuing on with remainder of recipe. This helps the dough rise better. Also, add 1/4 cup of melted butter if you want the bread to stay soft over a few days (not necessary if you will eat it all in one day!).

Slow Cooker Recipes

Here are a couple of recipes I've tried lately that made it into the recipe box.

Italian Braised Pork (Martha Stewart, with my modifications)
2 T olive oil
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
fresh ground pepper
small diced onion
3 cloves minced garlic
3/4 t fennel seeds
1/2 c dry red wine (or cranberry juice with a few splashes of red wine vinegar)
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
In large skillet, heat oil. Season pork with pepper and cook, turning occasionally, till browned on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, and fennel to skillet, cook till onion softened. Add wine and cook till reduced by half. (Next time I make this, I'm going to skip this first step and see if I taste any difference.) Add wine and seasoning mixture to slow cooker, along with tomatoes. Cover and cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours. Transfer pork to cutting board and pull apart with forks. Return to slow cooker and stir to combine with sauce. Good over top of couscous. Leftovers are great on a sandwich.

Slow-Cooker Black Bean and Zucchini Chili (Real Simple). My kids ate this and loved it. Lately they've become very picky and I was surprised that they went for this. It is full of veggies and protein so I think we will be eating this yummy dish often.
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey, cooked through (you could easily leave this out and have a vegetarian meal)
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 cans black beans, rinsed
3 zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 onions, chopped
1/4 c tomato paste
2 cloves minced garlic
1 T chili powder
1 t dried oregano
fresh ground pepper
Mix all ingredients in a slow cooker and simmer several hours. Top with sour cream, cilantro, and avocado as desired. Freezes well.

Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Here is a link to the cranberry sauce I made for Thanksgiving this year. It was so so so yummy and easy to make, less than 20 minutes start to finish. Thought you might like to try it out for Christmas. Scrumptious on top of turkey!

Simple and Amazing Cranberry Sauce

Summer Yummies

Here's some deliciousness we've been enjoying this summer.

Pesto Veggie Pizza
I use the Williams-Sonoma thin crust recipe, and then top with homemade pesto (our basil has done great this year, yay!), parmesan or romano cheese, fresh tomatoes, zucchini, red onion, and asparagus. So so so good.

Garlic and Mint marinade for chicken
I add the ingredients to a ziploc bag--about 1/2 cup of fresh mint (this has grown nicely, too), 2 T lemon juice, 2 T olive oil, 2 T soy sauce, 1 t chili powder, 1 t pepper, 2 t minced garlic. Shake them up, add the chicken, and marinate overnight. We cook them on the grill and they stay nice and moist.

Cheesy Grilled Corn
Grill your corn, then brush with melted butter, sprinkle with salt, chili powder, paprika, Parmesan cheese, and a twist of lime. We are going to have to make this again soon because my mouth is watering just typing this.

P.S. I'm taking next week off from blogging. Be back soon!

Brunch Recipes

I tried out two Southern Living recipes this weekend. Definitely keepers!

Creamy Egg Strata (a nice little variation on the traditional breakfast casserole)
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-egg-strata-50400000119178/

Blueberry Cream Biscuits with Blueberry Sauce (can't find the online link, here you go)
for biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
2 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1/4 t nutmeg
1 cup blueberries
1 1/2 c whipping cream
Preheat oven to 425. Stir together dry ingredients. Toss blueberries in flour mixture. Stir cream in until just moistened. Turn dough out on floured surface. Gently lift and fold four or five times, making a quarter turn between each fold. Place dough on parchment-lined baking sheet. Form into 7 or 8 inch square, approximately 1 inch thick. Score dough (to make biscuits easy to pull apart after baking). Bake in upper half of oven for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown. Pull apart and serve with blueberry sauce.

for sauce:
2 c blueberries
1/3 c sugar
2 t water
1 t vanilla
In medium saucepan combine 1 c berries, sugar, and water. Bring to simmer; cook and stir till blueberries pop and sauce has thickened. Remove from heat; add vanilla and 1 c berries. Serve warm or at room temp.

Yep, I Still Cook

I haven't posted any recipes in forever. I do still cook, I promise. :)

Here are some yummy, quick, and mostly-healthy dinners we've had lately.

Potato, Ham, and Spinach Frittata - Real Simple

3 T olive oil
2 small potatoes, sliced thin (I use my food processor)
1 small onion, diced
9 eggs
Kosher salt and black pepper
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 oz grated Cheddar
4 oz diced ham

Heat oven to 400. Heal oil over stove in oven-proof skillet (I used cast iron and it turned out great). Add potatoes and onion; cook till soft. In bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Add to skillet, stirring once. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until set, about 15 minutes.


Slow-Cooker BBQ Chicken - I think this was either Southern Living or Better Homes and Gardens

Mix together and rub into 3 lbs chicken tenderloins:
1 1/2 t paprika
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t pepper

Put chicken in crock pot.

Mix together and pour over chicken:
1/2 c coca-cola
1/3 c catsup
1/4 c brown sugar
2 T apple cider vinegar

Slice lemon and place on top of chicken and sauce. Cook on low 6-7 hours.


Roasted Veggie Pasta Bake - found this online, can't remember where . . . I use my food processor to slice the veggies thin

1 onion, chopped
1 squash, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 eggplant, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 T olive oil
1 box whole wheat penne pasta, cooked and drained
16 oz Alfredo sauce
14 oz chicken broth
1/2 c Parmesan, divided
1/2 c Mozzarella, divided
1/4 c bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 425. Spread veggies on two baking sheets, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Roast veggies till soft, about 20 minutes. Decrease oven temp to 375. Grease rectangular casserole dish. Mix sauce and broth in saucepan, bring to boil. Mix all ingredients except 1/2 of cheeses and breadcrumbs. Pour into casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs and remaining cheeses. Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Summer Yummies

Here are some recipes I've been experimenting with - these will definitely make it into my recipe box!

Pimiento Cheese (from Garden & Gun magazine)
2 c sharp cheddar, grated
1/2 c mayo
1/2 c pimiento peppers, drained and chopped
1/4 c green onion, chopped
1 t black pepper
1/2 t salt
1/4 t cayenne pepper
dash of Tabasco
Mix well and refrigerate. Great on artisan bread.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Grapes (from Real Simple magazine)
1 1/2 lbs brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 pound red seedless grapes
3 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 T fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and black pepper
Heat oven to 375. On large baking sheet, toss all ingredients together. Turn sprouts cut-side down and roast till golden brown and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Roasted Potatoes and Lemon with Dill (Real Simple)
2 lbs new potatoes, halved
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 T olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 T chopped fresh dill
Heat oven to 450. Toss all ingredients except dill on large baking sheet. Bake 25-35 minutes, till tender. Toss with dill before serving.

Low-maintenance Risotto (also from Real Simple)
3 T butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 c Arborio rice
1/2 c dry white wine
3 1/2 c chicken broth, + more if needed
1/2 c Parmesan
2 T chopped fresh parsley
Melt 2 T butter in large skilled. Add onion, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, till soft, 6-8 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add wine and simmer till absorbed. Add half the broth and simmer, stirring once, till absorbed, 8-10 minutes. Add remaining broth and simmer, stirring once, till rice is tender and creamy, 8-10 minutes more (if rice is not cooked through and mixture is dry, add more broth and continue to cook till tender). Stir in Parmesan and 1 T butter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Eat Your Veggies

I like to try new ways of cooking veggies. These are two really good recipes we had last week. Neither of us was a cabbage fan before, but you will like this one, it is so good and not at all slimy.

Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes (Southern Living)
3 lb fresh sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces (I cut the butter down to two tablespoons)
1 to 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (these are super-hot, consider yourself warned!)
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used skim milk and the potatoes were still plenty creamy)
salt to taste

Put potatoes in large saucepan, cover with water and heat to boiling. Then reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup water. Return potatoes to saucepan. Add butter, peppers, and cream, mash with potato masher (I make mashed potatoes in my KitchenAid mixer instead). Add reserved water a little at a time for desired consistency. Season with salt to taste.

Braised Cabbage with Spicy Croutons (Better Homes and Gardens)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter (I omitted this)
1/3 a 12 oz baguette, torn into coarse croutons (I used homemade whole wheat bread instead)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 small head green cabbage, cut into 6 wedges
1/2 cup water
snipped fresh parsley
lemon wedges

In large skilled, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add bread, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper. Cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove croutons from skillet and cool in single layer on paper towels. Add cabbage to skillet, overlapping wedges if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Add water, bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until tender. Place cabbage on platter, drizzle with a little olive oil. Top with croutons, parsley, and lemon wedges.

Pork Loin with Parsnips and Pears

I found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. I made it for dinner last week and was delighted to find it scrumptious, simple, and healthy!

1 1/2 pound boneless pork loin, sliced 1/2 inch thick, sprinkled with salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce
olive oil
3 to 4 small parsnips, peeled and sliced
2 pears, cored and sliced
1/2 cup pear nectar or apple juice

In skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add pork and brown on each side. Remove pork, cover, and keep warm. In same skillet, cook parsnips and pears for 5 minutes or so, until parsnips are crisp-tender. Stir 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and apple juice into skillet. Return pork to skillet. Cook 5 minutes more, or until pork is done. Remove pork, parsnips, and pears to serving platter. Boil sauce, uncovered, until slightly thickened. Pour over pork and serve.

The Season for Soup

Here are two of my favorite fall soups. These have a bit of spice in them to keep you warm.

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup (a conglomeration of recipes I found online)
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 red bell peppers
6 large tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
2 teaspoons paprika
1/8 teaspoon sugar
4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper
cayenne pepper
dash of hot sauce
sour cream

Rub oil on peppers and broil till blackened, turning to get all sides. Let rest 15 minutes; peel and dice. Heat olive oil in stockpot. Saute onion and garlic. Then add tomatoes, peppers, thyme, paprika, sugar, chicken stock, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce. Simmer about 30 minutes. Puree soup with immersion blender if you have one (less messy), or in regular blender or food processor (in batches). Mix in sour cream to taste and serve.


Butternut Squash Bisque (Better Homes and Gardens)
2 1/2 - 3 pound butternut squash
1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large gala apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
48 oz chicken broth
1 cup apple juice
2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
3 oz cheddar or gouda cheese, shredded

Peel, seed, and cube squash. In stockpot, melt butter. Add squash, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes or so. Add apples, broth, juice, and peppers. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 25 minutes or until veggies are tender. Puree in pot with immersion blender, or transfer (in batches) to regular blender or food processor. Return to stockpot; add sour cream and cheese. Stir till melted and serve.